Dundee have revealed that urgent repairs are needed to the pitch at Dens after their William Hill Scottish cup tie against Falkirk was called off for the second time.
The problem has been caused by the torrential rain that has fallen on the city in recent weeks with water in one particular area in front of the main stand simply not draining away.
It led to the postponement of the league game against Celtic at the end of December and although the January 2 derby with United went ahead as planned, the waterlogged area also caused the first postponement of the Falkirk match on Saturday.
It was rescheduled for tomorrow night but fell victim once again and worryingly for Dundee, the problem is spreading with the club now set to mount major repairs as soon as possible.
In a statement, Dundee said: “The club can confirm that our fourth round tie in the William Hill Scottish Cup against Falkirk has been postponed until Tuesday, January 26, 2016 with a 7.45pm kick-off.
“The Dens Park pitch has a major subterranean drainage issue which is rendering part of the surface completely unplayable.
“We have major compaction in the sub soil for around 12 inches above the drains which is preventing the water reaching the drains and causing it to back up on to the pitch.
“This has resulted in a thick layer of thatch to form beneath the surface which is also an impediment to effective drainage as this acts as a sponge causing the turf to retain water.
The statement continued: “This problem can only get worse and indeed is beginning to spread outwith the original footprint.
“We have consulted with experts from the Sportsturf and Landscaping Industry and have been advised that this area needs to be excavated and rebuilt with a new layer of turf also being installed.
“The undersoil heating pipes make this work difficult as a lot of the excavation will need to be done by hand to avoid damage to the pipes.
“This work will take at least a week and with the postponement the club plan to begin the works as soon as possible.
“This issue has arisen due to the unprecedented rainfall over the past weeks which we have experienced in Dundee.
“Our ground staff have worked tirelessly through this period and have gone above and beyond to give each of our fixtures the best chance of going ahead on scheduled dates.
“We have fully discussed the matter with Falkirk FC. They have shown great understanding and we look forward to welcoming them to Dens on the 26th of January.
“Supporters should note that tickets for the original fixture will be valid for the match on the 26th of January.”